A new Deco wave sweeps Mumbai's cultural scene
ETimes November 18, 2025 04:39 AM
The city’s ongoing Art Deco celebration has found one of its most enthusiastic audiences at the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum , where Mumbai Art Deco ’s latest installation has become a surprise crowd-puller. Over the last week, visitors streamed in to explore the layered storytelling around the city’s Deco heritage—many of them lingering far longer than expected, taking photos, sketching, and observing the motifs that often go unnoticed in their everyday commute.
One of the standout pieces at the museum is an installation by artist Sameer Kulavoor , which quickly became a favourite among attendees for its contemporary, sharply observed interpretation of Deco aesthetics.
The initiative comes from Smiti Kanodia, founder of Mumbai Art Deco, who describes the project as deeply personal. “It’s a passion project. I feel grateful that at this age many of my personal life goals have been met, so now it’s time to do something bigger and beyond myself," she says.
Her connection to arts and culture goes back decades. “I had the opportunity many years ago to publish about arts and culture, passion for the city, rootedness — all ideas I’ve grown up with,” she says. Even as she lived and travelled abroad, the lens was always “what should happen back home.”
The idea for Mumbai Art Deco was sparked during a trip to Miami. “We happened to pass by this Art Deco museum on South Beach, and we were walking through the area — it felt like Marine Drive. We said, why not? We have similar heritage, but there’s no storytelling around it,” she recalls. The seed took root quickly, and a series of coincidences — including the 100th anniversary of the global Art Deco era — accelerated the project. After a celebration in Miami last October, the momentum has carried into Mumbai this month.
At the museum, the programme has extended far beyond the exhibit. “We had a symposium three days ago, several walks across the city — today alone there were five walks from Matunga to Marine Drive,” Smiti says. Kids’ workshops, conversations, and evening events have also been drawing diverse audiences. For her, the aim is simple: “The idea is to let people engage at different levels… feel excited about the city again, excited about where they live, care about it, and bring those conversations home.”
In a bid to make Deco a lived, city-wide experience, the project has activated the entire Churchgate stretch, with restaurants from Pizza by the Bay to Nksha curating throwback menus and weekend discounts. “The idea is not just architecture, but food and drink, sketching, walking, shopping,” she explains. A special retail edit features stores offering Deco-inspired furniture, jewellery, and fashion.
Earlier this season, the event showcased Deco-inspired Indian wear, bringing together names like Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, Manish Malhotra, Raw Mango, and Anamika Khanna. “Deco is an attitude,” Smiti says. “Before we decide whether we like it or not, let’s just embrace and enjoy it — and see where it goes.”
